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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27393616">a thousand years, and i'd still find you</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/heyla632/pseuds/heyla632'>heyla632</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Pocket Monsters: Sword &amp; Shield | Pokemon Sword &amp; Shield Versions</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Character Death, Friends to Lovers, Love at First Sight, M/M, Near Death Experiences, Past Character Death, Prince!Leon, Princes &amp; Princesses, Reincarnation, Soul Bond, Soulmates, Souls, dragon!Raihan, kind of, their souls recognize each other</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 20:08:30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,161</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27393616</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/heyla632/pseuds/heyla632</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“A thousand years may pass...before we are reincarnated...but I’ll do everything I can to find you,” Raihan said, breathing slowly. “Next time...we’ll live through it together.”</p><p>Two souls that were once torn apart are finally reunited.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Dande | Leon/Kibana | Raihan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>106</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. the prince and his knight</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This may or may not be a version of my upcoming dnkb/kbdn fantasy AU, and while that one is still very much in the works, I scrounged up enough scrapped ideas to put this together! This one has only taken me a couple days to write so far, so I'm pretty happy with it! Hope you enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Leon knew that as his personal guard, Raihan had to be prepared to die for him.</p><p>He just didn't expect it to actually happen.</p><p>The Thorn soldiers used a large mounted crossbow to fire a thick obsidian arrow at Leon, and in the midst of fighting Eternatus, Leon hadn't noticed. Raihan did.</p><p>With the full knowledge of obsidian being the only material capable of piercing dragon hide, Raihan spread his draconic wings and launched himself between Leon and the projectile. Time seemed to slow down as the distance between him and the arrow closed. Pain seared him as it broke through his armor, skin, and flesh alike. He landed harshly and glanced down at it, noticing what the arrow was coated in. </p><p>
  <i>Fairy essence. An extremely rare but powerful substance. Does nothing to normal humans, but is worse than poison to dragons.</i>
</p><p>He swallowed, feeling the substance burn inside of him, feeling his strength already sapping as pain began to take over. They knew he’d sacrifice himself for Leon in this moment. The Thorns prepared for it; obsidian, fairy essence, the two most infamous weaknesses of dragons. He shakily looked up at his prince.</p><p>“Lee—” He fell to his knees, and immediately Leon sheathed his sword, running to his side to support him.</p><p>“No, no, Raihan—Hold on, I can—”</p><p>“We have to do it now,” Raihan stuttered. “I’m—running out of time, we can still stop Eternatus—”</p><p><i>“No,”</i> Leon argued. “If you use your powers now, you’ll…”</p><p>“Lee, we don’t have any other choice. Fairy essence is faster than your healing powers. Either way, I’m not walking away from this. But you can. All of Galar can.”</p><p>“What’s the point of living if you’re not there with me?” Leon whispered. He didn’t want to let go. Not of Raihan. Anything but Raihan.</p><p>“You’ll just have to do enough living for the both of us,” Raihan smiled sadly. He grasped Leon’s hands in his own and closed his eyes as the power of Zacian and Zamazenta flowed through them once more. His veins began to glow with a blinding red light, and Leon’s glowed with a matching blue. A magical red dome surrounded them, and a beam of blue light shot from Leon into the sky, tinting the clouds the same color. More beams of light shot down from the heavens, striking down Rose’s battlements and crumbling the enemy army. As each lightning-like beam struck, Leon felt Raihan weaken, the protective dome around them flickering as his strength quickly dissipated. </p><p>He groaned in pain, and Leon moved to hold him tightly instead, eyes screwing shut as the Thorns and Eternatus were obliterated and Raihan’s shield disappeared entirely.</p><p>“No, no, Raihan, please…” Leon begged, fighting against the fairy essence with his healing abilities.</p><p>“A thousand years may pass...before we are reincarnated...but I’ll do everything I can to find you,” Raihan said, breathing slowly. “Next time...we’ll live through it together.”</p><p>“I love you,” Leon whispered, his voice broken. “I’ll always love you.”</p><p>“I love...you...too…”</p><p>And he was gone.</p><p>Galarian troops rounded up any remaining Thorns and apprehended Rose and Oleana as Leon carried his beloved back to the ships, refusing to let go of him even when his own arms screamed with exhaustion.</p><p>Leon had him buried in the royal cemetery despite his knight status, next to the spot where he himself would one day be laid to rest. He at last took up the crown and became the king of Galar at the age of twenty-one, passing it to his younger brother ten years later as he refused to give an heir. The only person he wanted a child with had died long ago, and he felt there was no reason for him to keep his title when his brother and wife would very well make an excellent pair of rulers.</p><p>Through the years, his love for his knight never dwindled, even as others wished to court the former king. He would refuse their advances, for his heart belonged to the knight and the knight alone. Simply seeing the armor and blade he once used, his belongings, and even the arrow that ended his life revived bittersweet memories of his beloved Raihan. Even though it hurt every time to think of him, that was the only way he could keep the memory of him alive. </p><p>He could not help but feel mocked as he was blessed with such a long life, when Raihan’s had been cut far too short. Decades of sleeping alone with only recollections and drawings of his lover to accompany him simply made him look forward to the day when they would meet again.</p><p>With family and friends by his bedside, and his eyes closed for the final time, he smiled at the prospect of seeing his lover’s warm teal gaze again, of at last living a life where they would never be separated.</p><p>A thousand years may pass until that comes to fruition, but Raihan will find him. He always does.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. the champion and his dragon</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which the past and present intertwine.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Leon doesn't know how to explain it, but he feels like he's seen Raihan before. Like he already knows him. But that can't be true, they're ten years old and meeting in the Wild Area for the first time. This meeting was only by chance, too. Sonia and Nessa stayed in Hulbury to give Sonia another shot at the gym while Leon went out to train. Of course, he had once again gotten lost, and Raihan's camp was the first one he came across.</p><p>But when he saw those bright teal eyes, the light of the campfire reflected within them, it felt like something in him unlocked. When he gave his name, it sounded like one he held close to his heart even though he'd never heard it before. </p><p>Leon shrugged it off, promising himself that he’d bring it up later. A tiny piece of him wouldn’t let him ignore it, anyway. It reached out to this boy he just met, like a person seeking something they’d lost long ago.</p><p>He and Raihan butt heads at first, what with their competitive natures and natural childish stubbornness. Of course, it wasn’t long until their relationship solidified into a strong friendship, their rivalry now mainly used for cameras and publicity. On the battlefield, it was hardened teal versus shining gold, the dragon tamer versus the undefeatable champion, but outside of battle, away from the public eyes, they were just Leon and Raihan. After every match, Leon feared with all his heart that Raihan would give up battling and resent him for taking the title of Champion, but once again, that tiny piece of him spoke up:</p><p>
  <i>He won’t.</i>
</p><p>That tiny piece ended up to be correct; if anything, Raihan’s drive had only grown. </p><p>Raihan himself questioned why he strove so hard to be the one who faced off against Leon at the end of every Championship Cup. He knew he would lose against him, so what was he doing here? Protecting Leon?</p><p>He couldn’t explain it, but that statement felt right. He was protecting Leon. That’s...his job. </p><p>His...what?</p><p>One night, several years after Leon became Champion, they were staying at the Budew Inn together. </p><p>Leon gazed sleepily at Raihan, who had already fallen asleep on the other bed just a few feet away. The slow rise and fall of his breathing, his face tilted ever so slightly to the side, his hand draped over the side of the bed...the sight felt so familiar, and his heart bloomed with warmth at the thought as he finally drifted into sleep.</p><p>His dream couldn't have been longer than a minute, a single moment repeated over and over. Raihan leaned against a tree, his hands resting atop the pommel of his sword. His eyes were closed, and it was clear that he was asleep despite being upright. His armor glinted even in the shade of the branches, and Leon suddenly felt apologetic that his beloved knight could not even have a proper moment of rest. Pushing himself up off the ground, he stood and placed a hand on top of Raihan's, who immediately woke up, alertness returning to his features.</p><p><i>"My Prince?"</i> Raihan asked, eyes darting around in search of any danger. Leon smiled warmly at him, keeping his hand resting gently on Raihan's.</p><p><i>"Let's go home,"</i> he said, and Raihan nodded, taking his hand with one of his own and gripping his sword with the other.</p><p>
  <i>"Of course."</i>
</p><p>Leon awoke to his Rotom buzzing, and he groaned, reaching over to see who was calling. Rose. Hadn't he cleared his schedule for today? What did Rose need? Grumbling slightly, he declined the call and sent a text saying just that. He rubbed his eyes in annoyance, letting his image of being the happy-go-lucky Champion fall at the intrusion.</p><p>"Doin' alright over there?" Raihan called, his voice husky with sleep. Leon startled, nearly dropping his phone before it took control and hovered out of his hands. Raihan laughed, and Leon smiled sheepishly, recovering quickly from his brief moment of anger.</p><p>Over the years, Leon found that the tiny part of him had only grown more and more restless. But here, in moments like these, with Raihan close by in the relaxed atmosphere of their hotel room, it sat quiet, content, and happy. </p><p>And in those moments, Leon always wondered to himself:</p><p>Does he remember?</p><p>He would very much like to ask Raihan if he hears the same tiny voice, if they really had shared those glimpses of another lifetime. But that's much too strange a conversation to have, and he's quite content with having Raihan like this, even if they aren't exactly together. Dealing with Rose's shackles is worth it if he has Raihan by his side. Raihan will always protect him.</p><p>But then Raihan lost in the Championship Cup. For the first time since he became Champion, Leon would face someone other than Raihan for his title. </p><p>“Hey. Everything okay?” Raihan asked. His eyes seemed to glow in the dim light of their tent, and Leon couldn’t be more grateful for the grounding effect Raihan always had on him. Whenever he felt like he was floating away from everything, Raihan was always there to bring him back and make sure he was okay.</p><p>“Yeah. Just...nervous?” Leon guessed, tilting his head. “It’ll be weird not seeing you across the battlefield.”</p><p>Raihan chuckled. “Gloria is one hell of a Trainer, but you’ll be okay. And besides, ten years is a long time to hold a title.”</p><p>“Ten years is also a long time to fight the same person for said title,” Leon teased. Raihan laughed, nodding.</p><p>“You got me there, Lee.” They locked eyes for a moment, and a comfortable silence fell over them. Finally, Raihan smiled and sat up. “Win or lose, you’ll always be my P—” He cleared his throat. “You’ll always be ‘champ’ to me.”</p><p>Leon smiled back, and they both laid down in their sleeping bags after Raihan turned off the lantern. “Thanks, Han.”</p><p>This dream was much less enjoyable.</p><p><i>“Lee, you...you have to put him down,”</i> Sonia said, trying and failing to prevent herself from outright sobbing. <i>“The medics are g-going to c-clean you both up.”</i></p><p>Leon looked down, noticing that his cheeks were wet and, from how tired his arms were, realized that he was holding something. No, <i>someone.</i></p><p>Raihan’s limp form lay in his arms, the arrow still lodged in his chest. His lifeless teal eyes were half open, his lips were parted, and blood that was beginning to dry clung to his armor and Leon’s hands. His heart seemed to ache twice as much, and he carefully readjusted his grip on his lover, holding him even closer. Nessa sat at his feet, holding one of Raihan’s hands. She intertwined their fingers once more before covering her tear-streaked face with her other hand, sobbing silently.</p><p><i>“You have to p-put him down, Lee,”</i> Sonia tried again. Two medics stood behind her, ready to take Raihan’s body away on a stretcher. Leon shook his head, his hands trembling as he tightened his grip further.</p><p><i>“I can’t,”</i> he whimpered. <i>“I can't let him go.”</i> He pressed his lips to Raihan's forehead, taking a shaky breath as he tried to pretend that Raihan was merely sleeping in his lap. Yes, he was just sleeping. He'd wake up any second now. He always wakes up. He's always ready to wake up. He’s always ready to protect him.</p><p>And he had died because of it.</p><p>Leon's breath shuddered, and finally the grief hit him like a train, forcing more tears out of him and making him sob. The medics managed to quickly extract the arrow so that Leon wouldn't hurt himself and let him grieve for a bit longer, rocking back and forth with Raihan in his arms until Sonia and Nessa were able to coax him into letting the medics take him.</p><p>He remembers manually closing Raihan's eyes. He remembers the blood that stained his hands for days after the battle. He remembers clutching Raihan's sword close to his chest as he watched his knight be lowered into the ground. He remembers leaving his own blade and Raihan's shield at their favorite spot in the forest near Postwick.</p><p>He remembers that he never went back there afterwards. The hue of the water reminded him too much of Raihan's eyes.</p><p>Everything seemed to remind him of Raihan.</p><p>Leon jerked awake, hot tears streaming down his face. He sat up and tried to get himself under control. He couldn't stop the minute hiccups and whimpers that escaped him, and Raihan began to stir. Leon sobbed and hugged him tightly, burying his face in his chest.</p><p>"Mm, wha—? Whoa, hey—" He felt his shirt grow wet with Leon's tears. “What’s going on? Are you okay?”</p><p>Leon didn’t respond, only tightened his grip on Raihan’s shirt. Raihan sat up and pushed his sleeping bag off, pulling Leon into his lap and wrapping his arms around him.</p><p>“Hey...breathe, Lee, you’re safe. I’ve got you.”</p><p>Leon’s entire body trembled with grief that wasn’t quite his. It wracked him to his core, and he desperately clung to Raihan as if he’d once again been struck by that fateful arrow. He sobbed into Raihan’s chest, and Raihan held him gingerly, running a hand up and down Leon’s back.</p><p>“What did you dream about?” Raihan asked quietly. Leon shook his head vigorously, burying himself deeper into his chest. He didn’t want to say it out loud, he <i>couldn’t.</i> He felt a little ridiculous for crying so hysterically, but the grief was so <i>real</i> and he remembered everything so <i>vividly</i> and all he could think about was how it would utterly <i>destroy</i> him if he lost Raihan again. “Alright. That’s okay. Breathe, Lee. Everything’s okay.”</p><p>After a few minutes, Leon managed to calm down while Raihan cleaned him up. They laid back down with their bodies pressed flush against one another, wrapped safely in each other’s arms. </p><p>“Han?” Leon said softly.</p><p>“Yeah?” Raihan responded, leaning back a little to look at him.</p><p>“I love you.” He looked up at him, those gentle teal eyes now filled with affection. “I think I have for a while.”</p><p>Raihan smiled and kissed his forehead. “I love you too, Lee.”</p><p>-</p><p>Then Rose appeared on the screens of the stadium, announcing his plans to use the Hammerlocke power plant to revive Eternatus and solve an energy crisis that wouldn’t take place until thousands of years in the future. </p><p>Leon snapped back to the present, eyes rapidly searching for the Hammerlocke Gym Leader. There he was, off in the distance, already running to the stadium exit. Of course he’d be the first one to head to the city, that’s his home. Leon sprinted after him, heart pounding and that tiny piece of him begging him not to let Raihan get there first. </p><p>Because it knew what happened the last time Raihan fought Eternatus.</p><p>Leon threw out Charizard before he was even fully out of the stadium. </p><p>“Go, we have to stop him!” He commanded, jumping on Charizard’s back. Charizard made a noise in assent and launched into the sky, chasing after him.</p><p>Flygon’s a swift flier. Leon knows this because he has to face her every time he and Raihan battle. But in this case, he <i>really</i> wishes she weren’t. He had to push Charizard to his limits just to catch up to them and resorted to yelling Raihan’s name over the wind. Raihan glanced over his shoulder and slowed down enough to match speeds.</p><p>“I’ll deal with Rose! You focus on evacuating the city!” Leon shouted.</p><p>“What?! He was messing around right under my nose, I have to—”</p><p><i>“Raihan,”</i> Leon begged. “Please, just trust me!”</p><p>Raihan’s brow furrowed. He’d never seen Leon like this before. Desperate. </p><p>
  <i>Yes, you have.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>Don’t you remember?</i>
</p><p>Raihan grit his teeth. Leon would be fine. He’s always been stronger. If anyone can bring Eternatus down, it’s him.</p><p>“Fine! But the second everyone’s safe, I’m coming up there!”</p><p>They landed in front of Hammerlocke Castle, where Leon recalled Charizard and pulled Raihan in for a kiss. His arms wrapped around the back of his neck, and Raihan dipped him sweetly. </p><p>“Be safe,” Leon whispered.</p><p>“You too.”</p><p>-</p><p>The evacuation was going swiftly, thanks to the Gym Leaders and Hammerlocke Gym Trainers that arrived. Raihan passed by the front of the castle to make sure the eastern side of the city was being cleared at the same pace when Hop and Gloria stopped him.</p><p>“Where’s Lee?!” Hop asked urgently.</p><p>“Inside, he’s taking care of Rose and Eternat—” Hop ran off. Gloria moved to follow him, but Raihan stopped her for a second. “Glo. Make—make sure Lee’s safe, yeah?”</p><p>Gloria nodded. “I will.” And she ran off, too. Raihan glanced up at the top of the castle, where the sounds of an intense battle could be heard. He clenched his fist and sighed before continuing the city’s evacuation. </p><p>It couldn’t have been more than a few minutes later when there was a jarring explosion at the top of the castle that made Raihan stop in his tracks. His heart hammered in his chest. He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to find Kabu standing beside him.</p><p>“Go. We’ll finish up the rest of the city.” Raihan nodded and summoned Flygon, jumping on her back and soaring toward the castle. He spotted Hop and Gloria battling the beast, and near the staircase was Leon, slumped over against the wall.</p><p><i>“NO!”</i> Raihan yelled, and the second Flygon touched down, he sprinted over. </p><p>“Raihan, get him out of here!” Gloria yelled, eyes alight with tenacity. “He already weakened Eternatus for us, we’ll be fine!”</p><p>“Okay, okay!” He felt something wet on the back of Leon’s head, finding blood when he pulled his hand away. “Fuck, no, Lee—Lee, can you hear me?” He begged, patting his cheeks.</p><p>Leon’s eyes slowly opened, and he put a hand on top of Raihan’s. “Eternatus...You can’t...You can’t be here…” He mumbled. “It’s gonna...take you away again…”</p><p>“I’m fine, Lee, we’ll talk about it later, okay?”</p><p><i>“I can’t...lose you again…”</i> He said, breathing slowly. Raihan removed his hoodie and wrapped it around Leon, pulling the hood up and pressing it against Leon’s head to slow the bleeding.</p><p>“And you’re not going to, okay, love? Now come on, lean on me, I’ll carry you to the hospital—”</p><p>There was another ear-splitting roar from Eternatus, and the dragon collapsed.</p><p>“Holy shit,” Raihan breathed. “Did you really—”</p><p>A beam of light shot from Eternatus into the sky, and the creature flew upwards. Parts of the tower went with it, swirling around the top of the castle like some absurd tornado. An explosion of light came from the beast, and when the four Trainers opened their eyes, Eternatus’ form had changed completely, forming a snakelike hand floating in the air.</p><p>“Glo!” Hop called. “We have to use the sword and shield from the Slumbering Weald! They’ve gotta be a part of all this!”</p><p>“Right!” She responded.</p><p>“Sword and—?” Raihan said, confused, before his chest started to burn and he fell to his knees, still holding on tight to Leon. “W-What the—?” Leon began to feel the same sensation, and he had one arm wrapped around Raihan, his other hand clutching his chest. They both looked up at the two young Trainers, spotting the highly rusted yet familiar-looking weapons and feeling like something had just burst inside of them, launching both of them into flashbacks from a lifetime ago.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>While working on this, I was also working on my fantasy AU, and one scene that popped into my head a couple days ago has led to me rewriting it entirely, so that might take longer than I thought! I don't have all of its plot ironed out yet, so until that one gets more planned I've got another story in the works :) I hope no one writes it before I do :o Thanks for reading!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. the king and his lover</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which memories return and the past is put to rest.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Leon was floating, drifting aimlessly in a place that seemed apart from time and space. When he looked down at his body, he was wearing armor that wasn’t his, and there was a hole in his chest from a recent wound. His hands were darker than his normal skin tone, his limbs and build longer and more lean than he knew his body to be. He looked up, and a black and white four-legged creature with a spiked yellow ring around its middle stood in front of him.</p><p><i>“You have died,”</i> it said, its voice booming but not hostile. <i>“An honorable death, I might add, protecting one you love.”</i></p><p><i>“T-Thank you,”</i> Leon said, and although his voice was not his, it was one he knew very well. <i>“I would do it a hundred times again for him.”</i> The creature nodded.</p><p><i>“And for that, I applaud you.”</i> It floated closer to him. <i>“Not many humans find what you have found in that prince.”</i></p><p>He smiled. <i>“I consider myself lucky.”</i></p><p>The creature’s green eyes glowed with approval. <i>“I see now why Zacian and Zamazenta bestowed you two with their powers. They have chosen well.”</i> It fixed itself into a sitting position in front of him. <i>“You can choose to be reborn into a new life now, or wait for him. Your prince is expected to live for many more years, young knight. Which will you choose?”</i></p><p><i>“I’ll wait for him,”</i> he responded immediately.</p><p>
  <i>“How long?”</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“As long as it takes.”</i>
</p><p>The creature nodded once more. <i>“Your patience is admirable. You will be reborn with him when you are needed again.”</i></p><p>-</p><p>Raihan opened his eyes to find himself standing in the middle of a cemetery, with stones marking the resting places of royals long past. At his feet sat the grave of a knight, whose death had taken place many years ago. Long purple locks cascaded down his shoulders, a cloak of maroon and beige fabric beneath them. He found a well-loved sword in his hands, its blade etched with words that he himself once spoke.</p><p>A dull yet immobilizing grief filled him as he looked at the gravestone, and he crouched down to touch it, running his fingers over the name of his beloved. He sighed, tracing the letters with his fingertips as tears ran down his cheeks. </p><p><i>“Can you believe it’s been twenty years, love? It feels like only yesterday you were still holding my hand.”</i> A lump formed in his throat. <i>“I miss you...so much. Your touch, your beautiful fanged grins. I miss the way your eyes would light up whenever I looked at you, how you made my heart flutter just from knowing you would always be near.”</i> He swallowed. <i>“But now, you are so far away,”</i> he said, his voice breaking. <i>“And I want nothing more than to be with you, my dear.”</i> He tightened his grip on the sword and wrapped an arm around the gravestone. <i>“I love you, Raihan. I always will.”</i></p><p>-</p><p>They both snapped out of their memories, still holding each other tightly.</p><p>“Y-you…” Raihan swallowed, fresh tears running down his face. “Lee—” He groaned, and it felt like something was being ripped out from inside him.</p><p>“Raihan, are you okay—?!” Gloria yelled, when two bright beams of light, red and blue, shot from Leon and Raihan into the sky and back down next to the two gym challengers. Next to them materialized two Pokemon, one wielding a golden blade in its mouth and the other with fur shaped like a shield.</p><p>“Z-Zacian and Zamazenta…” Raihan muttered, and the two wolves walked over to them, the one with the sword licking the back of Leon’s head and the one with shield-like fur looking Raihan in the eye.</p><p>
  <i>We will take it from here. Get him to safety.</i>
</p><p>Raihan nodded. “Thank you.” He quickly got to his feet, summoned Flygon, and sped off to the hospital. Leon was admitted quickly, thankfully, and Raihan sat in the waiting room, his hands now clean of blood.</p><p>Leon <i>had</i> lived enough for both of them in the end. He’d lived every remaining day of his life without and for Raihan. He’d only seen a fraction of what Leon endured, and he couldn’t even begin to express how thankful he was that Leon loved him, even twenty years after his death. Even in this life.</p><p>“Leader Raihan?” One of the doctors called. Raihan stood up, studying the confused look on her face.</p><p>“Would you come with me, please?” He nodded, and she led him to Leon’s room, where he was sleeping soundly. She sat down on a stool and pointed Raihan to another next to Leon’s bed. “You said his skull had cracked open?”</p><p>“Yes, there was a good amount of blood when I found him,” Raihan confirmed. She nodded, flipping a page on her clipboard. </p><p>“We found the blood, it soaked into his jersey and your sweater,” she said, “But miraculously, there was no evidence of a head injury.” She handed him the x-rays they’d taken, and sure enough, Leon’s skull was in perfect condition. If Raihan hadn’t been there to see the blood, he wouldn’t have guessed that Leon had been injured at all.</p><p>“How…?” Raihan started, before coming to a realization. Zacian had been licking the back of Leon’s head before they departed. Leon, in his past life, had healing powers. <i>Zacian’s</i> powers. Raihan explained this to the doctor, leaving out the part about their previous life. She listened intently, nodding appropriately and writing things down.</p><p>“That’s fascinating,” she mused. “Pokemon not only being summoned by these weapons, but also willingly healing a person while they’re at it.” She clicked her pen. “Well, in any case, we’ve got them to thank for Champion Leon being unharmed. Thank you for the information, Leader Raihan.” He nodded, and she left. Raihan scooted closer to Leon’s bed, taking one of his hands in both of his own and rubbing small circles into the center of his palm.</p><p>
  <i>I can’t...lose you again…</i>
</p><p>Raihan sighed. Ten years of knowing Leon, of being one of his best friends, and he’d known the whole time about their previous lives. Raihan still remembers the night Leon stumbled into his camp, a ten-year-old with unruly purple hair and a young Charmander at his feet.</p><p><i>”Um, hi,”</i> Leon said a little nervously.</p><p>
  <i>It’s him.</i>
</p><p><i>“Hi?”</i> Raihan answered, still stirring the pot in front of him.</p><p><i>“I, um, I’m Leon, and I’m kind of hopeless with directions, so do you mind if I spend the night here?”</i> He requested. <i>“I could help with the curry, if you want, I found some more berries on my way here.”</i></p><p>Something inside Raihan felt like it was aching, but not in a way that hurt. <i>“Sure. But I don’t know how good of an idea it is to camp with a random stranger,”</i> he teased.</p><p><i>“I mean, you’re a Trainer, right?”</i> Leon asked, pointing to Raihan’s sleeping Trapinch. <i>“We battle random strangers all the time."</i></p><p>
  <i>"Yeah, I guess so. But camping with one's a little different."</i>
</p><p>Leon thought for a moment and lit up. <i>"Then how about a battle, Guy With No Name? That way, we won't be strangers anymore."</i></p><p>Raihan grinned widely, picking up Trapinch’s Pokeball. <i>"It's Raihan, Guy Who Walked Into My Camp In the Middle of the Night. But I like the way you think."</i></p><p>Raihan smiled to himself at the memory, and the hand he was holding intertwined their fingers. He looked up to see Leon beaming at him.</p><p>“Hey, handsome. How you feelin’?”</p><p>Leon sighed in content. “Like I just took a really good nap.”</p><p>Raihan smiled, leaving a bit of comfortable silence between them. “I can’t believe you knew the whole time,” he chuckled, squeezing Leon’s hand. “About our past lives.”</p><p>“I can’t believe <i>you</i> knew,” Leon retorted. “And...I don’t want you to feel obligated to return my feelings. That was...literally a lifetime ago and I’m not going to hold it against you if you don’t feel the same way anymore.”</p><p>Raihan practically scoffed. “Are you kidding? I’ve been in love with you since before I even knew what love <i>was.”</i> He kissed Leon’s hand tenderly. “I’m not going anywhere, Lee.”</p><p>Leon grinned, sitting up and pulling Raihan into a hug. “Was hoping you’d say that.”</p><p>-</p><p>“Hey, buddy,” Raihan cooed, petting Zamazenta. Hop and Gloria brought the two legendaries over to Hammerlocke for the first time after catching them, and the wolves recognized Leon and Raihan immediately. Being outside of battle, they were in their Hero of Many Battles forms, the rusted sword and shield in the possessions of the two young Trainers. Gloria handed Raihan the shield he once wielded, and he gazed wistfully at its design, aged and corroded after a thousand years of sitting in the Weald. Zamazenta nudged his hand, and he looked up at the wolf, who seemed to bounce and point in a certain direction.</p><p>“I think they want us to follow them,” Leon suggested, who had Zacian doing the same thing.</p><p>“Well, come on!” Hop and Gloria ran after their companions, and Raihan and Leon smiled at each other, following. Zacian and Zamazenta led them to an area next to Hammerlocke Castle that had become a museum of sorts, preserving relics and artifacts of Galarian history along with the vault. Eventually, they reached the very same cemetery where all four of them, in their past lives, had been laid to rest. The wolves guided them through the rows of gravestones until they arrived at their burial place.</p><p>Leon took Raihan’s hand, kneeling in front of their graves.</p><p>
  <i>King Leon of Wyndon</i>
</p><p>
  <i>August 17, 1018 - January 5, 1102</i>
</p><p>
  <i>A fierce warrior, a noble ruler, and devoted partner. May his reign inspire others for millenia to come, and may he rest at last with the lover that was taken too soon.</i>
</p><p>Leon sighed, leaning his head on Raihan’s shoulder as he kissed the top of Leon’s head.</p><p>
  <i>Sir Raihan of Hammerlocke</i>
</p><p>
  <i>October 16, 1018 - July 29, 1038</i>
</p><p>
  <i>The most virtuous of knights, the most loyal of dragons, who sacrificed himself for his king. May he continue to bring strength to the people of Galar and live on in our hearts.</i>
</p><p>“Hey,” Leon said, looking up at Raihan. “No more sacrifices, okay?”</p><p>Raihan kissed him and nodded. “No more sacrifices.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>thanks for coming along for the ride! this was very experimental, this is the first fic i've written where i didn't have all of it written before i started posting, and it was pretty fun! if you'd like to see a snippet of my next major fic, check out my twitter! thank you so much for reading! &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I have a <a href="https://twitter.com/heyla632">Twitter</a> now, feel free to chat with me and see some of my drawings on there!</p><p>gosh let's hope that link works</p></blockquote></div></div>
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